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1796 Heavy Cavalry Sword, Thomas Gill QDG

Hi everyone.

Itís my first post of the forum so I guess a quick introduction is in order. I live in the UK and mostly collect WW1 Militaria, with an interest in Nihonto and other Samurai items. A recent diversion into Napoleonic history prompted the purchase of the Heavy Cavalry sword below.

Just thought Iíd put up some pictures for you to see, itís perhaps not the best example out there, with the blade being over polished and the languets having been removed etc. But from looking at a similar example from T Gill that Mark Cloke sent me on the old swords database, it exhibits the same trait of the makers stamp with a weakness on the letter T. Another example I found by T Gill has the same offset grip rivet, so guess there is a variability in the manufacturing process as most seem to have a centralised rivet .

Iím presuming the regimental markings are of the period? If so they give the sword some interesting history to research, all be it with perhaps not the most active regiment in the European campaigns. The almost matching scabbard is an interesting plus.

Hi, Thanks for the replies -
the thought of a letter I did occur to me as well, but from a real close up with a magnifying glass it doesn't seem to have the lower cross bar for an "I"
as you can see in the ordinance crown over 4, The blade has been well polished, so I guess that may be lost to time...

Ah!....there was a almost identical Gill made sword on their web site...I thought I'd go for it...went out to my car...came back and it had gone!!
That's a great looking blade you've got!...great buy!!

Ah!....there was a almost identical Gill made sword on their web site...I thought I'd go for it...went out to my car...came back and it had gone!!
That's a great looking blade you've got!...great buy!!

was that recently ? I must admit I hadn't thought of looking there. Have brought a few things from them in the past with no issues though.